Number 41: Seiko
by Spencerdoodl
Summary: The story of Sekirei number 41: Seiko. Slight differences in story line, but I try to keep it as consistent as possible. T for violence and language.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:I don't own Sekirei, just my OCs. Rated T for mild language and Violence**

Seiko

Sekirei number 41 Seiko sprinted through the streets of Shinto Teito, pushing through the crowded sidewalk and whipping around corners. The stucco and brick buildings were a white and red blur as he sped past them, looking for a place to hide. The boy looked over his shoulder. She was still there, the blonde in her black and yellow outfit. She was now a mere thirty feet behind him.

"Get back here!" Her voice rang out in frustration. This was followed by the crack of a whip. There was a stinging sensation in the small of his back, and he ran even faster.

" _I can't fight her yet! I'm not winged yet. Gotta find a place to hide."_ Seiko thought, frantically. He searched a few seconds, then spotted a red brick apartment building, it's garbage cans out in front. He hit on an idea. Seiko dashed inside, slamming the cans in front of his pursuer.

"Hey! What the hell!" She shouted in protest as the cans crashed into her causing her to trip and fall. Seiko sprinted through the building's white lobby, not noticing the many people shouting at him. He ran straight for the stairwell, taking the dirty concrete steps three at a time. He was three floors up when he heard his enemy's voice from below.

"When I catch you, I'm going to beat the hell out of you!" A good incentive to keep running.

Akane

Akane was just entering her building, simply minding her own business. Then, out of nowhere there was a crash outside. A boy dressed in a purple hoodie ran through the lobby at full tilt, then disappeared through the door to the stairs.

"The hell?" She murmured to herself. The man was followed a few seconds later by a blonde woman in a black and yellow outfit holding a whip. She followed the man's path, screaming threats and profanities. Akane dropped her groceries and unholstered her taser. She ran after the two up the stairs. She tried to keep quiet, trying to not let the two know where she was. She didn't know what to expect, but the element of surprise would surely help if need be.

Seiko

Seiko quickly reached a problem, namely the rooftop. Seiko exited out onto the roof, bursting through the door. There was nothing but a few AC units and some dusty pipes on the concrete roof. He ran out to the edge, looking for a nearby rooftop to leap to. He saw none near him, just a sea of trees and one story buildings. He stood there, trapped, fifty feet in the air, with nowhere to hide. Seiko started to tremble in his black sneakers. He couldn't fight her, he wasn't winged yet, he was so much weaker. His heart was hammering and he could feel his body getting very hot.

"You bastard! I'm gonna whip you within an inch of your life!" Seiko flinched as his foe approached. Her outfit was covered in stains from the trash cans. Seiko felt the smallest flash of satisfaction before it was drowned by his overwhelming sense of panic. She was lashing her whip about, filling the air with cracking sounds.

"St-Stay back." Seiko shouted desperately. He trembled. His body was growing warmer still, and sweat broke out on his brow. The blonde laughed.

"What are you going to do? Cry?" Her whip lashed out as quick as, well, a whip. He was struck across the face. Seiko stumbled back, stunned. His left heel found open air. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a vertigo inducing drop. He snatched his heel back, frantically. His foe laughed, and struck out again. Seiko tried to block the whip with his forearm, and the whip wrapped around his arm. The blonde lady smiled and yanked Seiko off balance. She then flung her whip out again and it wrapped around Seiko's entire body. He stood, tied from his chest to his knees. The woman tugged on her end of the whip and Seiko fell flat on his face.

"Ow," Seiko muttered as he hit the ground. A shoe landed on his back a few seconds.

"That's what you deserve! You ruined my outfit!" The lady said, landing another kick to Seiko's face. She kicked him in the stomach then stopped. She pulled out a phone from somewhere and dialed.

"Master, I caught a Sekirei. He's immobilized. We're at an apartment right next to the east subway entrance." A young man's voice answered through the phone, Seiko barely picking up what it said.

"Good work, Mitsuha. I will be there soon."

"Thank you master! Anything to please you!" Mitsuha said excitedly as she hung up. She crouched down to Seiko's level, who had rolled onto his side to see better.

"I don't know why he would bother with you, you're not worth the time in my mind. You're such a weakling. But, my master wants any Sekirei we find that isn't winged."

" _She's right, I am a weakling. I deserve this. I'm a disgrace to Sekirei."_ Seiko though miserably. He cried inwardly at his own patheticness.

Mitsuha stood and raised her foot. She was about to step on his face again, but she seized up. Her back arched and she screamed in pain. Mitsuha turned around to see a red haired woman holding a taser. The barbs of said taser were in the blonde's back.

"Get on the ground!" The redheaded woman yelled. She wore a green coat and black leggings. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders and her face was scowling. Mitsuha turned around, angry. The redhead's face went from stern to shocked. Mitsuha unwrapped Seiko in an instant and went to whip the newcomer. She pulled the barbs out of her back, then raised her arm to strike the redheaded interrupter. The whip flew through the air. SNAP!

The whip wrapped around Seiko's arm. The Mitsuha's eyes widened. Seiko stood, his arm raised to catch the blow. On his bruised face was a look of pure fear and his body burned unbearably hot now, but he kept going.

"I-I won't let you harm others because of your anger with me. F-fight me with all your might, but don't lay a finger on others." Seiko pulled and Mitsuha flew forward. As she got closer, Seiko stepped to the side and landed a roundhouse kick to her stomach area. His shin dug into her gut for a millisecond before she was launched from the roof.

But as she flew off, her black whip was still wrapped around Seiko's forearm. He was pulled off by the momentum he had created. He flew through the air, yelling in surprise. Mitsuha saw this, and smiled. She swung him through the air once then threw him hard against the ground. Seiko hurtled downward, landing flat on his back.

There was a sickening SMACK! as his head hit the ground. White lights popped in front of his eyes and then all was black.

Akane

As she watched this insane fight play out, she could only stand in shock. It was like a movie, or one of those comic books her brother read. But as she saw the lady with the whip fly off, still carrying the momentum from that one kick, she saw the boy on the ground, not moving. She quickly ran to the fire escape and flew down the stairs. She came to his side. He was breathing, but it was frantic, short bursts. All the air had been knocked out of him. Not knowing what else to do, she started CPR. She pushed on his chest, trying to get air into his lungs. She pushed 30 times, then covered his nose and breathed into his mouth.

As soon as her lips touched his, there was a blinding purple flash! He sat up slowly, but it was almost like he was floating. His eyes were still closed. A symbol in the shape of a bird glowed purple and spikes of purple light grew from his back. They shrunk slightly, then flared massive, shining.

" _Not spikes, wings!"_ Akane realized. She scrambled back in surprise. " _What the hell is going on?!"_ The boy sat up. He opened his eyes. They were a dark brown, like his hair. His cheek was bruised from where the woman had kicked him, but otherwise he looked okay. He had a slim face, olive skin, and rounded cheekbones. An autumn leaf fell on his chest.

"H-Hello. M-my name is Seiko, and I think you are m-my Ashikabi." the boy stammered, in a voice barely over a whisper. Akane looked at him in disbelief.

"What?" Was all she could say.

 **AN: Hey guys! It's been a while, but I was suddenly struck to do another fic. I've been wanting to do this one for over a year, but just couldn't do it. But the autumn air put me in the mood. See you guys with more soon. (Probably...) Doodl on, my friends.**

 **Update: I was going to be done with all Fanfictions, but a recent comment made me get back into this fic. So, I decided to update the chapters and add the next one.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Sorry this is so late. This chapter is significantly longer and is the longest chapter I have ever written to date. Thank you everyone who wrote a review. Your feedback helped me rewrite chapter 1 and this chapter. Remember that feedback is always welcome. I own nothing but my OCs.**

Akane sat in her living room, still in shock from the events earlier. She lived in the same apartment building that a mere half hour had held the battle between Seiko and Mitsuha. She lived on the third floor, right in the middle of the building. This baked her room with everyone else's heaters, despite the autumn air outside. She had shed her green coat and now wore only her white top and black leggings. Her living room was small, with a couch the color of cream. An oak coffee table held two untouched cups of tea. Her walls were red and mostly barren. There were three photos on the walls along with it's . One of her graduating from the police academy. Another was of her and her brother when they were young. They were both at the beach when they were kids. The last was of her parents. Her mother with her pale skin, red hair and freckles. Her father with his dark hair and small eyes.

The sound of the shower roared in her periphery as Seiko washed his body clean. The fall had left him with some nasty gashes, and both him and his clothes were stained.

" _What is going on?"_ She thought to herself. The image of the purple wings flashed through her mind again. " _What is he? And how did he fall 50 feet with minimal damage?"_ She noticed the sound of the shower had stopped. Seiko came into the room a minute later, wearing a red t shirt and jeans that her brother had left at her house last time he was here. Both were too big for him, Seiko being such a small guy. So, he had to use a belt to keep it from falling. It bunched the material all around his waist. He held his dirty clothes in his hands. His bandages were in his pockets, and they bulged. Overall, he looked rather ridiculous.

"Th-thank you so much for letting me clean off and letting me use your clothes. And th-thank you for saving me from that woman." Seiko said all this bowing very low. His face was sad, as if sorry that he was troubling her. "Tell me how I can repay you and I will. Whatever it is." He added frantically.

"It's nothing." Akane assured him. "But, you could repay me by explaining what happened today. Who was that woman? Why were you fighting and how did you kick her so hard?" Akane asked, leaning forward slightly. Seiko sat down, his clothes still in his lap. He pulled out a bandage and started to wrap and unwrap his left hand nervously.

"That woman, she was, ah, she was a Sekirei like me." Seiko mumbled, looking everywhere but at Akane.

"What did you say? And look at me when you talk." Akane said, a bit of steel in her voice. She was curious and the suspense was eating her up. Seiko was startled by her tone and looked even more downtrodden. But he looked her in the face and tried again.

"I said that the other woman was a Sekirei like me. She was trying to challenge me, but I was a coward and ran. I knew I would lose, I wanted to get away." His stammer was gone, but his voice shook slightly, like he was going to cry.

"What's a Sekirei? Is it some sort of religion or something." Akane asked, much kinder sensing the fragility in Seiko's voice. She was still as confused as ever, and she was finding it difficult to keep herself from yelling at the boy. " _If he could grow a backbone, then we could get somewhere."_ Akane thought to herself in frustration.

"Sekirei are, um, your cell phone is ringing." Seiko pointed at the blue and white, hexagonal device ringing on her coffee table. Akane almost screamed at him that she didn't care who was calling her, but she took a deep breath and grabbed her phone and flipped it open.

"Hello, who is it?" Akane asked, in a voice that clearly stated " I don't want to be bothered. " The voice, however was either bad at reading tones, or simply didn't care.

"Well, that was a unique winging if I say so myself. But, my game is meant to be unique after all." The voice answered. Akane paused for a second, confused.

"Who is this?" Akane asked, slightly angered that a stranger called her to talk in riddles.

"Who am I? Why, I'm the game master. I run the show, I made the game, and I own this city. You may know me by my name, or by my face, but I will introduce myself. I am Minaka Hiroto, CEO of MBI, master of the Sekirei plan, richest and most powerful man in the world, etcetera." Akane was stunned. The Minaka Hiroto?

"What game?" Akane asked, hesitantly.

"Why, the game in which you have now inexorably entangled in. The Sekirei plan." Minaka answered dramatically. "108 Sekirei have been let loose in Shinto Teito to battle until one remains. But they can't fight alone. That's where you come in, miss Akane Shimizu. But before I go, a few more things. The Sekirei plan is highly confidential, and mandatory discretion is required. If you breach confidentiality to anyone, MBI will pull no punches. So, keep it to yourself. Also," Minaka's voice softened from condescending and joyful, to somberness, "be gentle with number 41. He'a fragile one. Granted, if I'd seen or done the things he had…" his voice trailed off. When he spoke again, his condescending voice had returned. "Well, I am a busy man. Bye now!"

"Wait, what?" Akane asked. The line went dead.

"So, you're not human?" Akane asked, haltingly, turning to face Seiko, who was nervously looking at the floor.

"No, I'm not quite human. Sorry." he said morosely. "But, I-I'm very close." He added, desperately.

" _He thinks I see him as a monster."_ Akane realized. " _What's his deal, why's he so nervous all the time? I mean, I guess I would be a bit on edge if there were other people were trying to kill me. But why's self esteem so low? Who hurt him?"_ Akane realized that she had been thinking and hadn't responded to Seiko. The boy looked on the edge of tears.  
"I swear, our DNA are very similar to humans, really, we can do anything a human can. I'm not a monster, I'm just faster and stronger and…" he was rambling now. Tears had started to appear.

"No, no, I don't think you're a monster, Seiko. I was just thinking. It's a lot to take in, that's all." She smiled at him, and the boy stopped crying. He tried for a smile, but it was more like a grimace. " _Poor guy, he's like a piece of glass. I have to keep talking."_

"So Seiko, tell me about yourself." Akane inquired. Seiko sniffed, and wiped his eyes.

"I am Number 41, I'm a combat type, I am 5 feet, 7 inches tall, and I am called The Sekirei of force." He sighed, "Despite the name, I'm a terrible fighter. You have picked a useless Sekirei, I'm sorry."

"Stop that!" Akane said firmly. Seiko jumped, surprised.

"S-stop what?" Seiko asked, confused.

"Calling yourself weak and apologizing for things! You are too hard on yourself! What you did today was incredible! You stood up for yourself and launched that woman hundreds of feet away with one kick! It was like a movie or something. You should have more confidence in yourself." Akane said, getting sick of his constant apologizes. Seiko looked taken aback.

"Sor- uh, er, ok. I will try to be more confident." Seiko said, resisting the urge to apologize.

"So what about the wings of light? What was that all about?" Akane asked, offering Seiko a mug of tea.

"Oh, that." He said accepting the tea. "That was me emerging."

"What does that mean?" Akane asked, blowing on her tea.

"When a Sekirei's lips meet their Ashikabi's , the Ashikabi's DNA mixes with the Sekirei. This unlocks a power within us. Those wings signified my emergence. The woman chasing me had emerged and was much stronger than me. That's why I ran." Seiko explained.

"Then how did you beat her? You keep calling yourself weak and useless, but even before emerging you fought off that woman and kicked her at least one hundred metres away. How?" Akane inquired. Seiko shrugged

"I don't know, I just didn't want her to hurt someone else because of me. I think the taser helped too." Seiko cracked a small smile "Thank you for that. You saved me." Seiko's smile fell. "And you're giving me clothes and tea and a place to stay and I'm doing nothing in return." Seiko realized. "How can I repay you? Please tell me and I'll do it." Seiko asked, franticly. Akane waved her hand dismissively.

"It's nothing really." She said. Seiko frowned in disagreement, but said nothing. There was a moment of silence. They could hear the footsteps from the floor above. Akane sipped her tea. Seiko folded his bloodstained clothes in his lap and wrapped his hands in bandages, right then left. Seiko's stomach grumbled loudly as he finished his left hand. Akane looked at him.

"When was the last time you ate?" She asked. Seiko shrugged and thought for a minute.

"What time is it?" He asked. Akane checked her phone.

"5 pm." She replied.

"About a day ago." He replied. Akane stood up quickly. "That's insane! Aren't you hungry?" Seiko nodded. "Why didn't you say something?" She knew the answer, but she asked anyway.

"I don't want to be a bother." Seiko replied softly, just as Akane knew he would. She threw on her coat and went to her room, grabbing socks and her purse and went to the door to collect her shoes. Seiko just looked confused.

"Well, don't just stand there, put your shoes on." Akane threw over her shoulder.

"O-ok." Seiko replied, springing to his feet. He threw his shoes on, and stood at the door, ready to go. Akane ushered him out into the hallway and locked the door. Her door was blue with the brass numbers 307. The hallway was stark white and the fluorescent lights made it practically blinding. There was a row of blue doors at regular intervals stretching to the elevator room. The doors were identical except for the number on them. The carpet was blue and white stripes running long ways down the hall. All this gave the feeling of the hallway going on forever, despite being only about thirty metres long. They walked to the elevator and Akane pushed the button to call the elevator. Within a few minutes, they were out on the street again, Akane leading Seiko following. Akane turned to Seiko.

"What kind of food do you like?" Akane asked. Seiko thought.

"I like Donburi." Seiko replied. Akane smiled.

"Me too. I know a place nearby. This way." Akane led Seiko to a little restaurant on a side street about a half a kilometer from her house. They entered the restaurant. The walls were wood and there were lanterns that gave the whole place a warm and cozy feeling. The place was reasonably full, a few families and couples here and there. A young man came to take their orders.

"Good evening, my name is Yuki, I will be your server tonight. Can I start you off with some drinks?" He said this with a smile on his face. He had his little notebook out.

"Water please." Akane requested, looking at the menu.

"Water please." Seiko parroted. The waiter wrote that down.

"Alright, I'll be back with your waters." He left to the kitchen. Akane looked up and down the menu.

"I think I'm gonna get the Unadon, you?" Akane said, looking up. Seiko looked up from the menu as well.

"I always liked Gyudon." Seiko answered. Akane quickly looked around to see if anyone was within earshot. Minaka's threat still rang in her ears.

"So tell me, where did you live before the Sekirei plan started? Surely you must have grown up somewhere." Akane asked. Seiko nodded.

"We were raised in MBI's secret base, not sure where it is. They never told us. But we were trained and raised there. We were even given our weapons there…" Seiko's voice trailed off. Then he slapped his forehead. "Idiot! I knew I forgot something!"

"What did you forget?" Akane asked.

"My weapons! How did I not notice? Stupid!" Seiko berated himself.

"Calm down, Seiko. I'm sure it'll be fine." Akane reassured him. Seiko was quiet until Yuki came back with the waters.

"You decided on what you want?" Yuki asked. Akane nodded.

"I'll take the Unadon, a medium bowl." Akane replied. Yuki jotted that down.

"And you?" He inquired of Seiko.

"I'll take a large bowl of the Gyudon, please." Seiko replied, his stomach rumbling. Yuki smiled,

"You got it, be back soon with that." He left again and the two were alone again.

"You were saying about the MBI base." Akane prompted.

"Oh, right. We Sekirei were raised there since birth. We had our own rooms that we could decorate as we pleased. And there was a courtyard that we would train in. We never talked to each other much. They kept us mostly separate. I've only seen a few other Sekirei and know them just as faces. I've been trained to fight since I was later. But my trainers were always very strong, and I always lost. I guess that's why I never win, because I never have and don't know how." Seiko concluded with a thoughtful frown. Akane had been listening carefully to everything he had said.

"Maybe you lose because you don't think you can win. If you put your mind to it and believe in yourself, I'm sure you could win a fight." Akane smiled, "You're stronger then anyone I've ever seen anyway." She finished with a chuckle. Seiko smiled tentatively. Yuki had returned with 2 steaming bowls in his hands.

"There you go, enjoy." Yuki set them on the table in front of the customers and left once again. Akane's bowl contained white rice with beautiful slices of eel cooked in a brown sauce. On the whole, it looked very appetizing. Seiko's bowl was larger, much larger, nearly a foot in diameter. Akane would have looked at his food, if he hadn't grabbed the bowl and started furiously shoveling food into his mouth. Instead of using his chopsticks properly, he put them together to make a sort of spoon and had tilted the bowl to his mouth. " _Well that makes sense, he hasn't eaten in 24 hours."_ Akane thought as she laughed quietly at the sight. Less than a minute later, he had finished his food. He put the bowl down sheepishly. There was sauce all over his face, like a child at the dinner table. Seiko tried to apologize, but Akane simply laughed and handed him a paper napkin. Seiko took it and cleaned his face. He got up to throw the napkin away, and he walked straight into another person.

"Ah, sorry" Seiko said as he fell back against the wall. He looked and saw a woman with tan skin and bright blonde hair. She wore a skimpy black top with stars on both breasts. She also wore a type of thin arm gloves that extended to her shoulder. The woman smiled.

"It's ok." and walked towards the back of the restaurant without another word. Seiko watched her go, and as she turned around he gasped. Right on the back of her neck, clear as day was a tattoo. Seiko instantly sat back down at the table, putting his hood up to cover his own tattoo. Akane had taken a bite of her food and looked up at Seiko, who was wringing his hands and looking over his shoulder. Akane swallowed her bite of rice and eel.

"What's wrong?" She asked her agitated Sekirei. Seiko lowered his voice.

"Do you see the woman a few tables back? The tan one with the blond hair and stars." Seiko hissed quietly. Akane peered down the line of tables, spotting the woman in question.

"Yeah, why what's wrong Seiko?" Akane asked. Seiko answered a question with a question.

"Is anyone with her?" Seiko looked intently at the table, trying not to be noticed. Akane looked down the aisle again. The blonde haired woman sat with two other scantily clad girls and a black haired man with a black leather jacket with the front wide open. They were in a corner table that was slightly raised above the rest, giving them a throne like vantage point. The man grabbed his female companions freely. Akane scoffed silently at the man's behavior. " _Get a room. There are kids."_ Remembering Seiko's question, Akane nodded. "She's with three other people, why? What's going on?" Akane repeated. Seiko moaned at the sound of her answer. "What's wrong Seiko?" Akane asked for the fourth time. Seiko looked her in the eye.

"That blonde woman I bumped into, she's a Sekirei." Seiko started to shake nervously. "You said three other people?" Akane nodded gravely, understanding. Seiko glanced over at the table. The group were focused entirely on each other, paying no attention to Yuki as he tried to take their orders. Akane gestured for a waiter. One came to her side, a young lady with green hair.

"Can I help you ma'am?" the waitress asked. Akane nodded, flashing a smile, despite her heart pounding.

"Yes, can I have the check and a box please?" Akane asked. The waitress smiled back.

"Certainly." and she walked off to fetch said items. Seiko still clutched the napkin in his fist, his sweaty palms bleeding sauce onto his palm.

"Relax Seiko, just pretend you don't notice them and they won't notice you." Akane advised. She continually glanced at their adversaries, weary of their every move. Seiko simple put his hands behind his head, trying and failing to look relaxed. He shivered in the warm room, sat uncomfortably on the soft cushion. A tense, silent moment passed before the waitress returned with the check and box. Akane quickly paid and boxed her food. She'd eat later. They exited the room as quickly as they could without looking suspicious. Seiko felt like he was going to be grabbed any second as they made their way home. In fact, neither relaxed till they were in the elevator in Akane's building. Seiko sagged against the wall and let out a huge breath as soon as the elevator doors closed.

"That was stressful." Akane stated simply. Her face was calm, but her heart was still racing and she stood very stiff. Seiko nodded his agreeance. The doors opened and Akane led Seiko down the hallway to her door. She closed and locked the door as soon as they were both inside. Seiko walked straight to the same chair that he had sat in earlier. Akane stood by the door however, thinking.

" _Am I gonna be able to relax when I go outside? This is insane!"_ Akane thought to herself, panicking. " _Calm down Akane. Get a grip. You are going to be fine. Seiko can protect you and you can protect yourself."_ Akane tried to reassure herself that she had her own Sekirei, that she was a trained member of law enforcement, that there were only 108 Sekirei in a city of well over a million. Nothing helped. Her heart rate refused to slow.

"Um, I hate to be a bother, but where should I put these clothes?" Akane snapped out of her thoughts. She looked at her Sekirei. He held his old clothes, bloody and muddy. Akane managed to muster a small smile.

"Not a bother at all you can put it…" A knock on the door interrupted her! Akane jumped away, crashed into Seiko and both fell to the floor in a heap. There was a jingling of keys and the door opened. And in the door, a silhouette of a man stood against the stark white of the hallway.

 **AN: Dun dun dun. Who is the mystery man? Find out next time on Dragonball, er Number 41 Seiko. Maybe. Thank you guys so much for commenting on the first chapter. Without you guys, I never would have written this chapter. I will have more soon, but finals and the increased length of this chapter made this one take nearly a month. I never thought I would ever write something this long. Three and a half thousand words is a lot for me. But enough of my rambling. Have a good on my Doodls.**

 **-Spencerdoodl**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: So, I decided to leave the cliffhanger hanging for a chapter. (Or two. Maybe?) Thanks again for the reviews. They really have been helpful. I'm looking at you Ikrani. I own naught but my own OCs. Sorry for the long wait. My defence, laziness and another project. I really suck at this kinda crap.**

Mitsuha

Mitsuha flew backwards through the air, breathless and her stomach burning in pain. Her eyes were open wide in shock and pain. She saw her assailant hurtling at her at an insane speed. That's when she noticed that her whip was still wrapped around his wrist.

" _I. Have. You."_ She thought, concentration difficult. She smiled slightly, thinking of a plan. She tucked her legs, bringing her knees to her chest. She somersaulted in the air, and threw her prey to the ground, letting go of him. He hit the ground so hard that even at Mitsuha's height she could here the smack of his head hitting the pavement. Mitsuha only just had a fraction of a second to notice this before the momentum that she still carried from the kick propelled her up and away from the battleground. She hurtled through the air, spinning on all three axes. The world around her was a whirlwind of colors and sounds.

Mitsuha hit the ground hard on her side and rolled uncontrollably for over ten meters. She came to stop on her back. Mitsuha lay there for a few moments, simply trying to catch her breath and regain her sense of direction. Slowly, her head stopped spinning, and air came back to her lungs. She sat up, clutching her stomach. Looking around, she realized she had landed in a park. A few children were playing on the playground about thirty meters away. Only one of them seemed to have noticed her fall. A little girl in a pink jacket stared at her. Mitsuha met her gaze. The little girl ran to the nearest slide and slid down, beelining to her mother. Mitsuha couldn't hear the conversation that followed, but she saw the girl point to her. The mother looked over and spotted the sekirei sitting there. The girl said something, and the mother shook her head. The girl stomped her foot and ran for Mitsuha. The mother grabbed at her arm, but she missed.

"You get back here right now, young lady!" Mitsuha heard that, but the girl didn't seem to.

"Are you ok, lady?" the little girl asked Mitsuha as she kneeled by her side. MItsuha scowled,

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said, standing up. She looked around for her whip, as she lost it as she hit the ground. The little girl gave it to her. She took it from her and started walking. She was ready to go home. It had been a long day. She didn't look forward to telling her master that she had lost the Sekirei, but she couldn't keep it from him. Besides, her abdomen was stinging like hell. She held her stomach as she walked southward, looking for the nearest subway entrance. Many people stared at her on account of her muddy appearance and her whip attached to her hip. She ground her teeth and closed her eyes, resisting the urge to snap at them. But she didn't want to look even more stupid. She stepped on the train, and didn't see any seats. She sighed, and held onto the straps hanging from the ceiling. The train hissed, and they were moving.

She was home by the time the sun was setting. She lived with her master in a large manor on the south side of town. The small pond on the grounds turned golden in the sunset, while the huge lawn started darkening as the sun disappeared. The huge house was three stories tall, and painted white with a golden yellow trim. It was built in a federal colonial style, her master's family being heavily influenced by the west, even sending Master to America for a time. Mitsuha shook her head clear of these thoughts, as Master had forbidden her from giving information, and thinking about it was only one step away from saying it. She concentrated on the scenery, hoping to clear her mind of the traitorous thoughts. A large cobblestone path ran the length of the lawn from the street to the front door, a good two hundred meters. Not for the first time, Mitsuha wondered how a mansion like this could be in the biggest city in the world, but she didn't need to know. If she had to know, Master would tell her. The doors to the mansion were ten feet tall, and dark oak wood polished to a shine. There was a brass knocker in the center of the door, and she knocked. The door opened, and Mitsuki opened the door. The blonde sekirei that looked exactly like Mitsuha laughed.

"What the hell happened to you?" She teased, looking at her muddy and scratched up appearance. Mitsuha ground her teeth in irritation.

"None of your damn business." She answered. This caused Mitsuki to laugh further. Mitsuha got even more angry, but she promised Master that she wouldn't fight in the mansion.

"Will you just let me pass?" She asked, clutching her stomach as it started to throb again. Mitsuki simply stepped to the side and Mitsuha entered the main hall.

The ceiling of the main hall was thirty feet above, and a massive gold and crystal chandelier hung from it. The walls were white, with a gold trim and they were decorated by many works of fine arts. The whole room was almost shouting, 'The person living here is wealthy, and they know it!' Two other hallways branched off of the hall, with a set of stairs leading to the next floor dead ahead. Her Master would be in his study, he always was. She knew she had failed him, and she dreaded how he would react. But she knew she had to obey him, and she was required to give him a detailed report. So, she trudged up the stair, feeling like a prisoner being marched to the gallows. The stairs ended in another hallway. Mitsuha turned left and knocked on the first door on the right. It was a dark oak wood, and had a polished brass doorknob.

"Come in," A soft, and commanding voice answered. Mitsuha turned the handle and entered the study. The whole room was made of dark stained wood panels, and bookshelves lined the walls. A large paned glass window let in the sunset, which struck the face of a teenaged boy in a wooden armchair.

He was slender and strong like a rapier. He wore an expensive white suit jacket, that was trimmed in gold in the front, and a white necktie was tucked in his collar. He had golden brown hair hung to his shoulders in a spiky crown. His eyes were concentrated on a book in his lap, when Mitsuha closed the door behind her.

"Mitsuha, what happened to you?" He asked worried, looking up from the book he was reading. His eyes softened with concern. Mitsuha took a deep breath and explained what had happened. She was scared, and hesitated at times, but did not lie to her master. When she had finished, she stood, her hands clasped behind her, shaking in fear slightly. Her master sighed, slowly marked his page, closed the book and set it on a nearby table. He laced his fingers together and regarded her silently for a time.

"What am I going to do with you?" He sighed finally, closing his eyes and looking towards the ceiling. He looked back at her, and smiled slightly. "I suppose this isn't entirely your fault. I should have sent someone much stronger instead to face an unknown threat. I should have sent Mutsu, not my weakest link." He said this all with a slightly bored voice. But despite his calm and even voice, his words stung Mitsuha more than if he had shouted. Her eyes filled with tears, as he insulted her.

" _Does Master really think I'm his weakest Sekirei?"_ Mitsuha thought her, mind racing.

"You-you think I'm your weakest Sekirei, Master?" She asked, her voice full of pain. Hayato Mikogami shrugged, indifferent to the pain he was causing his servant.

"I think that it is a fitting title, yes. Akitsu, Mutsu, Mitsuki, and everyone else have shown more convincing results. They have been able to hold their own on solo missions, whereas you could not handle a simple capture mission. Given this, I believe you are my weakest Sekirei." He said all this is in a very matter-of-fact tone. Mitsuha looked down at herself, self doubt hitting her like a tidal wave. She saw not the powerful Sekirei that she had seen in the morning. She saw a useless piece of garbage not worthy of her master's time.

"I-I'm sorry Master. I'll leave you if you would like." Mistuha said, miserably. Tears rolled down her face, as she tried to keep from sobbing. Her master looked at her, and his eyes warmed from slightly from their icy demeanor.

"No, I don't want you to leave me. Even if you are my weakest Sekirei, you are better than nothing. Besides, I have a new assignment for you." Hayato Mikogami said, his voice thoughtful.

"Anything Master!" Mitsuha said, overjoyed that he trusted her again. Hayato Mikogami stood, stretching his arms as he did so. He walked over and stood one meter before Mitsuha. He looked down at his Sekirei, and he smiled warmly.  
"Good, that's the answer I wanted to hear. Now, first things first, get yourself cleaned up. I can't have you walking around like that. Then, I want you to track down the Sekirei from earlier, and bring him here. Use whatever means necessary, but I want him alive. I want him as one of my own." He said, hunger playing across his face.

"Yes Master!" Mitsuha said, loudly and excitedly. Hayato Mikogami nodded, then gestured for the door. Mitusha ran for the door, and set off down the hallway at a run, wanting to accomplish her mission as soon as possible. Step one, get cleaned up. Then show her master just how strong she was.

 **Hey guys, sorry it's been half a year since my last update. I really meant for this to come out sooner, but I was busy, and I was lazy. This is my first update in awhile, so my style might have changed, and the quality might be a bit worse, but please tell me specifically what you think isn't clicking, and I'll respond to you, whether I change it or not. Also, huge shout out to Ikrani. Dude, you're the only reason I continued this little project after chapter one. Thanks man! Anyway, that's enough from me. I have no idea when Chapter 4 will be uploaded, but I hope it's soon. Until then, remember to Doodl on, and always smile, even when you don't feel like it. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: This is probably going to come out late, so sorry in advance. I own nothing except for some OCs.**

The figure stood there for a second as Akane and Seiko lay there, terrified. The figure laughed mockingly. Seiko clenched his fists, ready to fight or run.

"Jeez sis, could you at least try to be decent in the living room?" The shadow joked, stepping into the light. He was tall, about six feet tall. He had dyed blonde hair, and brown eyes. He was very skinny and pale, like a man surviving off scraps in a cave. He smiled as Akane scrambled to her feet and punched the man in the gut,

"Dammit Masahiro, you nearly gave me a heart attack! Can't you knock? What if I'd shot you?"She said, punching him again. Seiko simply let out a breath, happy that it wasn't an enemy. He stood up, trying not to get in their way.

"Why are you so jumpy? It's not like this is your first boyfriend. Or the first time I show up uninvited." Akane's brother defended, trying to ward off her punches and accusations.

"A-A-Akane, maybe you should let him inside. You're causing a scene." Seiko said, reluctant to be difficult, but also worried about any other Sekirei noticing him or Akane. Akane stopped and let her brother in. She closed and locked the door behind him.

"Thanks man." He said to Seiko. He extended his hand to him. "I'm Masahiro, and if you couldn't guess, I'm Akane's brother." Seiko looked at the floor and mumbled that his name was Seiko. Masahiro laughed, "Hey, has she broken you already? Wow sis, new record." Masahiro said to his sister.

"Shut up, he's just a bit shy." Akane shot back. Seiko started picking up all his bloody clothes from where he had dropped them.

"What's with the bloody clothes?" Masahiro asked, offhandedly. He then noticed Seiko's attire. "Hey, are those my old clothes?" He asked, interested this time. Seiko froze up, not knowing what to say.

"Um-I-uh…" Seiko stuttered. Akane came to his rescue.

"He cut himself with a knife and the blood went everywhere. So, I gave him some of your old stuff." Akane said, unconvincingly. Masahiro nodded, clearly not convinced.

"Yeah sure. So, how long you two been together." Masahiro asked, seating himself comfortably on the couch. He kicked off his shoes, and put his feet on the coffee table.

"We're not together." Akane said, knowing he wouldn't believe her.

"And yet he's cooking with you and he's wearing your brother's , makes total sense." Masahiro said, sarcastically. He picked up one of the mugs of tea that the pair had left and took a sip. He grimaced at the cold tea and set it down.

"I hate you." Akane said, also sitting down. Seiko sat down next to Akane, fidgeting with his bandages again.

"Love ya too, sis." He said, standing up from the couch. He brushed past Seiko, and went into the kitchen and out of sight. Seiko glanced up at Akane, and was shocked to see a smile on her face. Granted, the smile was not a happy smile, it was the kind of smile that says, " _I wish I could say I didn't know or love this idiot."_

Seiko stood as well, and went to find a place to drop his clothes off. As he walked down the hall to find a bedroom or something, an arm grabbed him around the neck , and he was yanked into the kitchen.

Without thinking, Seiko grabbed the arm around his neck and flipped whoever it was over his shoulder onto the ground. He stood over his attacker, ready to bash their face in with his fist.

"Dude chill! Holy hell!" Seiko stopped for long enough to recognize Masahiro.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!" Seiko said, releasing Masahiro, straightening up, and bowing apologetically. Masahiro laughed, and sat up,

"Don't worry about it. That was amazing." Masahiro replied, rubbing his shoulder that had just hit the ground. Seiko heard running footsteps and looked around to see Akane standing in the doorway, taser at the ready.

"I heard a crash and shouting. What's going on?" She inquired, taking in the scene. Seiko opened his mouth to speak, although he didn't know what to say. But Masahiro beat him to the punch, saving the poor boy.

"Oh, your boyfriend is a badass, but otherwise nothing special. What's new with you?" He said, in an offhand tone that he knew would get under his sister's skin.

"He's not my…" Akane started, then stopped and sighed as she saw her brother's grin. "Nevermind, what do you mean he's a badass?" She inquired.

"Oh, I tried to drag him into the kitchen to talk to him, and next thing I know I'm flat on my back, and he's trying to break my face." Masahiro laughed again, standing up. Akane shot a quick, worried glance at Seiko, who misread it as a criticism and dropped his gaze.

"Well, I'm glad no one's hurt, even though Seiko really should knock some sense into you." Akane said, and Masahiro shrugged.

"The guy got lucky, caught me off guard." Seiko nodded, desperately trying to hide his strength from his Ashikabi's brother. If he got it into his head that Seiko was stronger than he looked, that could lead to questions. Questions that Seiko couldn't answer, or even say why he couldn't answer.

"So, Seiko," Number 41 jolted back to himself, and looked at Masahiro again. "Before all that, I meant to ask you something." He looked at Akane, and nodded to her to leave. Akane shrugged and obliged.

"Seiko," Masahiro started again, leaning his back up against the wall, looking at his fingernails. "When did you and Aki meet?" Seiko paused, then saw no problem in being honest.

"Today." Seiko replied, quietly. Masahiro's head snapped up, sure he had misheard.

"What?" Masahiro laughed, "Did you say today?" Seiko nodded, suspicious of the question. Masahiro was silent, then started laughing. Not the mocking laughter of earlier, but genuine laughter that ended quickly.

"Really? Ha! Aki sure doesn't waste time. I remember when she'd take a year to choose a guy. Now it's less than a day? Ha! That's perfect!" He was nearly hysterical with laughter, tears streaming down his face, and Seiko stood there uncomfortably, then picked up his clothes and started inching towards the door. Masahiro didn't seem to notice, so the 41st Sekirei slipped out of the room, continuing down the hallway to find a place to drop his clothes. He opened a door, finding a closet with a laundry basket labeled, 'dirty'. Seiko dropped them in, and started walking back to the kitchen. He but just as he was about to go in, Akane stepped in front of him.

"So, now you've met my brother." Akane stated. Seiko nodded to agree that he had. "And he's given you the whole spiel about me and my ex-boyfriends." Seiko nodded again.

"Not yet I haven't." Masahiro shouted from the kitchen, "I have to tell him all about how you're a heartbreaking tease!" The redhead rolled her eyes, but Seiko noticed a light blush on her cheeks. Masahiro walked in, a goofy grin on his face.

"So Seiko, here's the deal." Akane rolled her eyes and pretended be merely irritated. Seiko's face was clearly uneasy, but if Masahiro noticed, he ignored it. "Akane here is going to start by playing all hard to get, claiming that you two are merely friends, despite doing things that friends don't do. Like living together." Akane opened her mouth to argue, and Masahiro grinned,

"It's not like that, I'm just very close with friends." Masahiro said the words with her as Akane protested. Akane's eyes widened, confused.

"You always say that, and yet…" Masahiro chuckled, "Anyway, Akane will make any excuse to explain why she says you're not a couple. That circumstances or mutual benefit is the only reason why the two of you are like this."  
"That's such bullshit!" Akane cried out, and Masahiro rolled his eyes,

"It isn't and you know it. I've seen it happen before. I'm just warning this poor sap what he's gotten himself into." The pale man continued, "Right, so that's Akane's pattern with boys." The Sekirei blinked twice, and looked towards Akane. She was visibly angry with her brother, and this made Seiko nervous. He thought she would yell or shout at Masahiro, but she didn't. She was quiet, fuming silently and staring her brother in the eyes. He looked back, seemingly unfazed.

Seiko was very uncomfortable, not knowing what to say or do. He inched his way back down the hallway, trying to leave the situation. Akane's arm snatched him back before he'd even gone an inch. She pulled him close and kissed him on the cheek. Seiko's eyes widened, and he felt blood rush to his cheeks. She then walked off down the hallway to her room without another word. Masahiro whistled lowly, clapping his hands,

"So, I guess either she really likes you or she's really determined to spite me, because she has never kissed anyone in front of me before." Seiko tried to respond, but all he could do was stare after Akane as she walked away. Masahiro put a hand on Seiko's shoulder. The Sekirei turned to him and saw Masahiro smiling once again.

"Seiko, I don't know who you are or what your deal with Akane is. But she seems to like you, and that's all that I need. Take care of her, huh?" Seiko nodded, unable to through the shock of Akane's kiss. Masahiro could tell he was flustered, and so the man laughed.

"Well, good to meet you, Seiko. Bye Akane!" He called over Seiko's shoulder to his sister. No response. "Ouch, she is spiteful today." Masahiro joked. Seiko smiled lightly as Masahiro turned to leave. He was gone in seconds and Seiko closed the door after him.

 **AN: Howdy! Sorry for the long ass delay. I had taken a break from FanFiction as a whole for over a year. Anyway, I'm back, at least for now. I can't promise how long that will last. But enough about me, let's see what happens with Akane and Seiko next time! Thank you for reading this little story of mine. And if you enjoy, leave a review. Means the world to me, makes my day.**

 **Khuda Hafiz, friends! And remember to Doodl always.**


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